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This paper will be external in that you will be required to go outside of yourself and Signs of Life to write the paper. Your focus/thesis/position in this paper will be backed up by authors other than yourself. In some cases, your focus may clash with other opinions and it will be your job to defend your position. This assignment is about writing a research paper, not a research report. A report finds all the relevant material written or known about an issue and reports it back. You must have an arguable thesis. A Research Paper takes all of the information and then does something relevant and original with it; i.e. makes an argument. Your paper must use at least one of the course readings. You have staggered deadlines for this paper (see syllabus), follow them for full credit.
Prompt 3: Your paper will examine an iconic artifact from our time. What importance do we attach to this item? If this item is representative of “America,” what message does it send? How does it package America? What to Include: Your paper should include a history of the artifact, an examination of the role this artifact plays in our society, and some thoughts on what this artifact says about us. This last part is of the utmost importance (i.e. this is your thesis). It changes the essay from a report to a paper—it should have a point of view. Is this artifact useful? Have we forgotten what it originally stood for? Remember that reasonable people can disagree about what any given object symbolizes, so you will have to anticipate and deal with counter-argument in your essay. Try to find something unique—don’t go for the obvious, like computers, the Internet, or cell phones. Also, the more specific, the better. If you were going to do computers, you would be too general—what about mouse pads? Is there a difference between those who use generic ones and those who personalize theirs? You may not do “makeup,” “tattoos,” or “jewelry.” You will be providing a semiotic reading of the artifact much as we’ve been practicing all term and making a unique argument about the artifact.
The Important Details:
You must demonstrate to me that you have experience in researching all kinds of data. You may use only one online source. Consider journals, magazine, newspaper, etc (electronic journals through the library do not count as your online source). Not only should the essay be properly formatted, citations and your works cited page must be in MLA format in an annotated bibliography. Failure to properly cite your sources will result in a failing grade.
Please remember the following (I am not kidding):
• You must have your own point. Providing only background on the object or icon will not get higher than a C (your paper shouldn’t read like the wiki entry)
• You must cite sources correctly.
• You must use reliable sources.
• The amount of quoted material in your paper should not exceed 15%
• Quotes cannot stand alone. Incorporate them.
• As far as plagiarism goes, remember that anything not set off in quotes is assumed to be your opinion. It better be.
• Mechanics, coherence, organization and development all factor towards your final grade
Research Hints
Ask a librarian. They are trained to know how to find and access information and they are fantastic, helpful people.
Check your spelling. If you’ve misspelled terms, you won’t find the info.
Select and search for key words.
Be very focused from the beginning. The clearer you are about what you’re looking for, the more effective your research will be.
Start with the reference collection. Reference Books: subject bibliographies are a quick overview of a topic and they help develop a working list of key terms, dates, names, and so on for further research.
Determine “variable” data. Time, period, geography, and language are some of the variables that can affect your research results. For example, because the terms have changed over the years, you may have to look under “handicapped” or “physically challenged” depending on the time period you’re researching.
Maintain an ongoing list of possible search terms.
Once you’ve found a good source, go to its bibliography – the sources it used will probably help you.
More isn’t better. Typing in “cancer” will result in millions of entries. Not workable.
Computers aren’t smarter than you. Just because your search didn’t produce any results doesn’t mean no information exists on your topic.
If you go looking for a book-length piece on the history and meaning of your artifact, say “tennis shoes,” you will probably not find it. You must be creative in your research. Also, most of the research will probably be used in the history section of your paper—the main thrust of your essay is your own.
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